Page 129 of The Witch in the Dead of Night

And will you be happy to see him? My eyes widened as the unexpected thought lashed through my mind. Of course I would. I wanted nothing more than to be home again with Mordric. He loved me. Anxiety frothed in my stomach. What if he said it again, and I still couldn’t say it back? I slumped onto my side, tucking an arm beneath my head. Enhart had turned his back to me, his arms crossed as he stared into the night. His silhouette was the last thing I saw before sleep took me.

The following day, we found ourselves trotting down a cobbled road no more than an hour’s ride from the capital. A wagon piled high with rickety wooden crates rattled past us, no doubt on its way to the central market. My fingers were numb from gripping the reins, and Arlys seemed equally exhausted. She snorted as she tripped over her own hooves. I patted her neck, whispering words of encouragement into her perked ears.

“This way,” said Enhart, turning Grim off the main road. We crested a tall hill, passing the sheep that feasted on the bright green grass. I glanced upward, wondering warily if there were any wyverns nearby. When we reached the top of the hill, I drew in a sharp breath.

The city lay splayed out before us. The din of the busy streets was distant, but already comforting in its normalcy. My heart fluttered at the thought of what awaited me at the end of this journey. Mordric, of course, and a warm bed, but my friends, too.

I wondered which of the courtiers Vesper had offended lately, and what news Niamh might have for me about her budding romance.

We descended the hill and cut directly through the busy city center. The bell in the central tower chimed twelve times, echoing through the narrow streets. Merchants shouted as they unloaded their wares. A black dog barked as it weaved its way between the fray, its tail wagging wildly.

“It’s the prince,” squealed a young lady, dropping a basket filled with several large river fish. I grimaced as they spilled into the street, their silver scales glistening.

“Your Royal Highness,” called a butcher as he emptied a bucket of blood into the gutter. “Welcome home!”

“His Royal Highness,” excited squeals broke out among the crowd. “His Royal Highness has returned home!”

I raised my eyebrows at Enhart as he pulled his cowl over his eyes. “Don’t tease,” he said, raising a hand to his fawning subjects.

I chuckled. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

The horses picked up their pace as we climbed onto the bridge connecting the city to the castle, reinvigorated now that we were so close to home. At the far end, Mordric stood flanked by two of his guards. He was dressed in a loose black shirt and matching breeches, his hair left loose save for his silver diadem. My heart pounded in my chest as I laid eyes on him after all this time, but not for the reason it should. I was nervous, I realized.

“Alright,” came Enhart’s voice from behind me. “This is where I leave you.”

I nearly fell out of Arlys’s saddle. “What are you talking about?” I demanded, pulling her to a halt. She danced sideways, eager for the journey to end.

Enhart shrugged. “I have business to attend to elsewhere. This is as far as I go.”

My palms went slick around the reins. “You have business? What business?”

I sucked in a breath as a gust of cold washed over me, the prince’s velvety voice echoing in my mind. I told you last night that I had a theory about how this all connects. He nodded in the direction of the castle. Once I step inside those walls, I will no longer be able to gather the evidence I need to prove it.

I balked. “This is about Ophelia?”

This is about you. He pulled Grim alongside Arlys, slipping a finger beneath her bridle. I swallowed as he drew me in close, our knees brushing together. The mare snapped her teeth, causing the bay to squeal. Mordric will use all the resources at his disposal to keep you safe. You have to trust me to do the same.

I glanced between him and the gates. Mordric beamed as he met my gaze, raising a hand in greeting. A small part of me was bothered that Enhart would leave me here. But why did I care? I ignored the unease that dug its claws into my chest.

“Now, now,” he purred. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks. “Fine then,” I said aloud. I trust you.

He winked before swinging Grim around and galloping off the bridge. I watched, bewildered, as he disappeared into the city.

Mordric pulled me into an embrace the moment I dismounted, crushing me to his chest. Relief flooded me as he held me in his arms. I relished the knowledge that our journey was behind us and I was finally safe. I closed my eyes, burrowing into the folds of his shirt.

“Welcome home,” he whispered into my hair.

A hot, sluggish emotion that I couldn’t quite place seeped out of him as I sighed, inhaling his scent. “It’s good to be home.”

Mordric slipped his fingers under my chin, bringing my lips to his. All the aches and exhaustion that had plagued me for days ebbed away for that brief moment, withering in his glow.

When my eyelids fluttered open, a smile played on his lips. “Where has my brother run off to?”

I sighed. “I honestly have no idea.”

He chuckled, threading my arm through his. “No matter. Come, you must tell me everything,” he said. “You can’t imagine what I was thinking when I received Enhart’s letter,” he said. “The Chancellor is fortunate that the Pass of Pelthen stands between us, or I would’ve come after you myself.”